Reflections on Contentment

            On Sunday, Pastor Dave preached about simplifying our lives..  He emphasized simplifying especially in the area of finances and our felt need to accrue comforts.  The first verse in the passage he used is “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Timothy 6:6).  God has graced me with opportunities to spend a lot of time in Haiti over the past several years.  It never fails, every team I have had in the poorest country in the western hemisphere has had people make a remark that goes something like; “These people have so much joy, even though they are poor and have nothing, they are so joyful”.  This statement and others like it reveal darkness in our hearts. These statements reveal how much of our joy is connected to our stuff.  Instead our joy needs to be dependent on who God is, not on what we have.

       Scripture points to God as being our portion (Ps 16:5, 73:26, Lam. 3:24).  Materialism complicates, stresses, and brings harm to our lives because it says that God himself is not enough.  Our hearts need to recognize the truth of Psalm 73:26

“My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

When God is our portion we are free from ‘keeping up with the Jones’ and free to worship and serve God.

           I am so thankful for our Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ who serve as an amazing example of having their joy in the Lord.  Pastor Dave bracketed his sermon with Hebrews 13:5,  “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  With out a speck of material possession or wealth, God has answered our greatest need with Christ.  God is faithful and will keep his promises to us.

While speaking about worry in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”(Matthew 6:31-33)  Thank you Dave, for bringing the word.  And thank you, Haitian believers for giving such a powerful example of joy and on making the Lord our Portion.  

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Chuck Mullikin

About the Author:
Chuck serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Adult Discipleship